Projector and target apparatus including projectile collecting clip which is also a magazine for the projector

ABSTRACT

A skill type target game which includes two opposing launching areas each having target means alongside a selectively operable launching device for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area. A movable blocking panel is operatively associated with each of the targets to effectively block the propelling of objects from the adjacent launching device in response to the respective target being struck by one of the objects propelled from the opposite launching device. The launching devices are formed in the shape of cowboys holding guns to simulate a Western &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;shoot-out.&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; Clips are provided for the guns to hold a plurality of spherical projectiles. The target areas have floors inclined downwardly to a storage compartment for propelled projectiles, the storage compartment having movable door means for delivering projectiles from the compartment to the clips automatically as the clips are interengaged with the compartment.

. United States Patent [191 Glass et al.

[ PROJECTOR AND TARGET APPARATUS INCLUDING PROJECTILE COLLECTING CLIP WHICH IS ALSO A MAGAZINE FOR THE PROJECTOR [75] Inventors: Marvin 1. Glass, Chicago;'Robert S.

McKay, Morton Grove, both of ill.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 230,585

[52] US. Cl 273/101, 124/45, 124/49, 7

l l [58] Field ofSearch..273/95 R, 101,102 R, 102.1 C; 124/41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 50; 221/197, 198,

[111 3,7S'7fl52 Jan. 22, 1974 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind [5 7] ABSTRACT A skill type target game which includes two opposing launching areas each having target means alongside a selectively operable launching device for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area. A movableblocking panel is operatively associated with each of the targets to effectively block, the propelling of objects from the adjacent launching device in response to the respective target being struck by one of the objects propelled from the opposite launching device. The launching devices are formed in the shape of cowboys holding guns to simulate a Western shoot-out." Clips are provided for the guns to hold a plurality of spherical projectiles. The target areas have floors inclined downwardly to a storage compartment for propelled projectiles, the storage compartment having movable door means for delivering projectiles from the compartment to the clips automatically as the clips are interengaged with the compartment.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 2 2 I974 SHEEF 1 BF 2 PATENTEUJANZP 1974 SHEH 2 BF 2 PROJECTOR AND TARGET APPARATUS INCLUDING PROJECTILE COLLECTING CLIP WHICH IS ALSO A MAGAZINE FOR THE PROJECTOR BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE I INVENTION This invention relates'to a skill type game designed for the entertainment of the player and for developing dexterity, timing, and coordination for the individual player as well as competition between a plurality of players.

There are various entertaining games presently available which have projectiles of various sizes and shapes which are projected toward target areas. A plurality of receiving positions are provided for the projectiles, normally providing means for scoring the game. Still other games have projectiles which are propelled towardhome or receiving positions randomly spaced and variably scored to provide an entertaining game. Most games of the latter type are played primarily on the principle of chance. Such games are provided for educational or competitive purposes, or solely as entertainment devices. The game of the present invention is a skill type game wherein the objects or projectiles are propelled by players of the game at another players target means in an attempt to be the first player to strike the opponents target means with a propelled object.

A principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a new skill type game of the character described, particularly a target type game.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, an elongated base structure or stand is provided with a transparent top cover providing a generally hollow housing within which is mounted at each opposite end thereof a target means and a launching device for propelling objects therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite end of the housing. A spring-loaded panel is mounted on the base structure in front of each of the launching devices, the panels being held down in a horizontal cocked position by a latch means operatively associated with the respective target means at the same end of the housing. More particularly, the latch means is operatively associated with the respective'target means in such a manner that the panel is released to effectively block the propelling of objects from the adjacent launching device in response to the adjacent target means at the same end of the housing being struck by one of the objects propelled by a player from the other end of the housing.

The launching devices are formed in the shape of a gun having a handle and trigger portion exposed on the outside of the housingfor grasping and manipulation by players of the game, with the barrel of the gun extending through the housing to the interior thereof. A simulatedcowboy is mounted on the inner end of the gun barrel, with the cowboy holding a smaller gun which is a continuation of the barrel of the larger manipulatible gun.

The floor of the housing is inclined downwardly to a receiving and storage compartment for the return of propelled projectiles (preferably ball-like objects) thereto. Each of the gun-like launching devices has a clip for holding a plurality of projectiles and complementary interengaging means are provided on the clips and on the storage compartment for delivering projectiles from the compartment to a clip automatically in response to engaging the complementary interengaging means thereon. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the clip and the compartment each have an aperture through which projectiles are delivered from the compartment to the clip and each has a sliding door spring-biased toward closed position covering the aperture. Abutment means are provided both on the clip and on the compartment, the abutment means being oriented and aligned so as to engage the sliding doors of the clip and the compartment to open the doors simultaneously on sliding the clip into engagement against the compartment.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a skill type target game embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical central section, on an enlarged scale, through the right-hand half of the device shown in FIG. 1, with the trigger and release mechanism of the gun in inoperative condition;

FIG. 3 is a broken-away section similar to the righthand end of FIG. 2 showing the trigger and release mechanism substantially'at their releasing positions;

FIG. 4 is a broken-away perspective view of one of the targets and its associated means for releasing the blocking panels;

FIG. 5 is a partial horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. I,

through the receiving and storage compartment for the propelled projectiles;

FIG. 6 is a partial vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. I, through the receiving and storage compartment for the propelled projectiles; I

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the clips for the gun type launching devices;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 88 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the rectangular mounting bracket for mounting the gun type launching devices to the end panels of the housing, the latter being shown broken away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the skill type target game of the present invention is shown in an exemplary embodiment to include a framework having a base structure or stand, generally designated 12, having legs 12a, andia rounded transparent cover portion 14 having flat vertical end walls 14a. The base structure 12 and the cover portion 14 cooperate to define a hollow housing within which is mounted the target means, blocking panels, etc., to be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Before going into details of construction of the launching devices, target means, etc., it can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the exemplary embodiment of the invention is centered around a Wester shoot-out" theme, in that a pair of figures, generally designated 16, are provided within the housing simulating cowboys holding small guns 16a. The figures 16 are mounted onto the ends of barrel portions 18 of gun-type launching devices, generally designated 20, with the small guns 16a actually comprising continuations of the barrel portions I8, as best seen in FIG. 2. Target means, generally 22, are mounted within the housing on each side of each of the cowboy figures 16. The target means 22 are operatively associated (by means to be described in greater detail hereinafter) with spring-loaded panels 24 which are shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. By means to be described hereinafter, the panels 24 are held downwardly in a normal horizontal position as shown in FIG. I and are released for movement toward a vertical position (as shown in phantom in FIG. 2) in response to the target portion of either of the target means in the adjacent end of the housing being struck by a projectile propelled from the launching device at the opposite end of the housing.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4, the operating means between the target means 22 and blocking panels 24 now will be described. The target means 22 includes a target portion 26 which protrudes upwardly from behind a shield portion 28 which is fixed to the interior floor 30 of the base structure I2, as by screws or brads 32 (FIG. 2). The target portions 26 each are formed at the top of a lever arm 34 pivoted by a pin 36 to a bracket 38 fixed to the'floor 30 of the base structure I2. The lower end of the-levers 34 extend through apertures 40 in the floor 30 and each lever is connected by a crossbrace 42 to the lever of the other target means at the same end of the housing. As best seen in FIG. 2, a horizontally protruding lip 44 is formed integrally with each of the crossbraces 42 and are operatively associated with arm extensions 46 fixed rigidly to the blocking panels 24, as seen in FIG. 2. An elastic band 48 is received in an aperture 50 on the extension arm 46 and is wrapped around a hook member 52 fixed to the underside of the floor 30 of the base structure 12.

In normal non-blocking condition, the blocking panels 24 are held downwardly in their horizontal positions shown in FIG. I (and in full lines in FIG. 2) by means of the end of the extension arm 46 being seated on top of the lip 44 along the inner edge of a notch 54 in the lip. Should a projectile strike the target portion 26 of either of the target means 22 at one end of the housing, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 2, the lever arm 34 will be forced in the direction of arrow B (FIG. 4) causing the lip 44 to pivot upwardly in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 2). As the lip 44 pivots upwardly, the end of the extension arm 46 for the respective blocking panel 24 will clear the edge of the notch 54 and the elastic band 48 will pull the extension arm downwardly in the direction of arrow B (FIG. 2), causing the blocking panel 24 to pivot upwardly in the direction of arrow B to the vertical (phantom) position shown in FIG. 2. In its vertical position, the panel blocks the front of the barrel of the gun 16a to prevent projectiles from being propelled therefrom toward the opposite end of the housing. The blocking panels 24 may be cocked again either by pushing on the extension arms 46 in a direction opposite that of arrow D (FIG. 2) until the end of the arms latch on top of the lip portions 44 of the braces 42, or, should the transparent cover I4 be made removable, by pushing down on the blocking panels 24.

The gun type launching devices are best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 8 and, in addition to the barrel portion 18, include a handle portion 56, a trigger housing 58,

and a horizontally reciprocatably mounted trigger 60. The trigger is mounted within the trigger housing 58 by tongue-and-groove means, generally designated 62, and has a rearward extension'64 having a laterally protruding shoulder abutment means 64a. The trigger is urged forwardly by means of a small wire spring 66 wrapped about a post 68. The trigger 60 is operatively associated with a release mechanism which includes a larger wire spring 70 wrapped about a post 72, with one leg of the wire spring abutting a post 74. The opposite end of the wire spring 70 extends through a slot 7I in the barrel l8 and is fixed to a barrel plunger 76 which is engagable with projectiles P releasable into the barrel 18 from a clip, generally designated 78 and described in greater detail hereinafter.

When a player desires to propel a projectile P from one of the gun-like launching devices 20, he will press on the trigger 60 in known fashion and cause the trigger to move rearwardly in the direction of arrow F (FIG. 3). The shoulder abutment 64a on the trigger extension 64 engages the wire spring 70 and urges the wire spring and attached barrel plunger rearwardly until a projectile falls downwardly from the clip 78 in front of the plunger 76. Continued movement of the trigger rearwardly in the direction of arrow F will cause the wire spring 70 to engage a wedge-shaped cam member 80 (see FIG. 8) mounted within the handle portion 56 of the gun. The wedge 80 forces the wire spring 70 laterally in the direction of arrow G (FIG. 8) and out from behind the trigger shoulder abutment 64a. The biasing force of spring 70 then causes the barrel plunger 76 to snap forwardly and propel a projectile from barrel 18 toward the opposite end of the housing. Release of the trigger 60 by the player permits the smaller wire spring 66 to return the trigger to its forward position, as shown in FIG. 2. The action of the mechanism just described, in actual practice, proceeds with sufficient speed that only a single projectile is fed to the barrel portion 18 of the gun 20 in front of the barrel plunger 76 in response to each actuation of the trigger. When the barrel plunger 76 is in its forward position as shown in FIG. 2, it blocks further delivery of projectiles from the clip 78 into the barrel [8.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, the clip 78 for holding a plurality of projectiles P includes a housing portion 84 and an interior tube or chute 84 which holds a plurality of projectiles. The tube 84 has an aperture 86 (FIG. 2) through which projectiles may be delivered from the clip. A slidably mounted door 88 is biased by a leaf spring 90 (FIG. 2) to a closed position normally covering the aperture 86. The clip 78 has outwardly protruding side flanges 92 (FIG. 7) which are received in complementary grooves 94 (FIG. 2) at the top rear of the gun 20. A pin 96 is formed on the top rear of the barrel portion 18 of the gun between the grooves 94 for engaging a complementary tab 98 (FIG. 7) on the slidable clip door 88. Thus, the clip can be mounted onto the top of the gun 20 by sliding movement between the grooves 94 in the direction of arrow H (FIG. 2). In so doing the pin 96 of the gun will abut the tab 98 on the slidably mounted clip door 88 and force the door rearwardly to open the aperture 86 to permit projectiles to be delivered from the clip into the gun barrel 18.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the floor 30 of the base structure 12 is inclined downwardly from the target means 22 toward a ball return aperture 100 (FIG. I) so that the ball-like projectiles P, after being propelled by one of the guns 20, will roll down the inclined floor and fall through the return aperture into a channel-shaped chute 102 on the underside of the base structure 12. As seen in FIG. 6, the bottom wall 102a of the chute 102 is inclined downwardly toward a side aperture 104 which is normally closed by a slidably mounted door 106 biased to a closed position by means of the leaf spring 108, quite similarly to the action of the clip doors 88. As seen in FIG. 5, the door 106 hasflanges 110 received in complementary slots 112 on an outer bracket portion, generally designated 114, of the chute 102. The bracket portion 114 also has grooves 116 for receiving the flanges 92 of the clip 78. The door 110 for the chute 102 has an outwardly protruding tab 118. The chute 102 also has an upper side wall portion 120 (FIGS. 1 and 6) having a second outwardly protruding tab 120 fixed thereto and laterally spaced from the-tab 118 on the slidably mounted door 106. The clip 78 also has a second outwardly protruding tab 122 on a stationary wall portion 124 laterally spaced from the protruding tab portion 98 on the slidably mounted clip door 88.

Thus, with the above structure, in order to refill a clip 78 with a supply of projectiles P from the chute 102, the clip 78, in its vertical orientation as shown in FIG. 7, is slid downwardly into the chute bracket portion 114, with the clip flanges 92 received in the bracket grooves 116. Movement of the clip downwardly while being interengaged in the chute bracket 114, causes the fixed tab 122 on the clip to abut against the tab 118 on the movable chute door 106, and the fixed chute tab 121 to engage the tab 98 on the slidably movable clip door 88. Further downward movement of the clip 78 relative to the chute 102 causes the respectively engagable tabs to simultaneously open both the clip door 88 and the chute door 106 whereby a supply of projectiles P may be delivered from the chute 102 to the clip 78 through the apertures 104 and 86 of the chute and clip, respectively.

FIG. 9 shows a rectangular mounting bracket, generally designated 140, for mounting the gun-type launching devices 20 to the end walls 14a of the housing cover portion 14. More particularly, at least a portion of the barrel 18 of the gun 20 is rectangularly shaped and extends through a rectangular aperture 142 in the center of the mounting bracket 140. The bracket has a neck portion 134 which extends through an enlarged aperture 146 in the housing end walls 14a, with flange portions 138 of the bracket extending outwardly on each side of the walls 14a. With the neck portion 134 of the bracket 140 smaller than the end wall apertures 146, the guns 20 may be manipulated by players of the game for aiming purposes in their attempts to propel projectiles P at the target portions 26 of the pair of target means 22 at the opposite ends of the housing The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as certain modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. In the combination of a plurality of projectiles, target means, at least one launching device for receiving projectiles and propelling the projectiles toward said target means, a receiving and storage compartment for collecting spent projectiles launched by said launching device, means for directing said spent projectiles to said receiving and storage compartment after launching, a clip for said launching device: the improvement comprising said clip constructed to hold a plurality of projectiles and being manually removably mountable in projectile communication either with said receiving and storage compartment or said launching device, whereby spent projectiles are fed into said clip from said receiving and storage compartment when said clip is mounted in association with said compartment and whereby said projectiles in said clip are fed into said launching device when said clip is mounted in association with said launching device.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said clip and said compartment have complementary interengaging means whereby the projectiles are fed into the clip from the compartment automatically in response to engaging said complementary interengaging means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said clip and said launching device have complementary interengaging means whereby the projectiles are fed into the launching device from the clip automatically in response to engaging said complementary interengaging means.

4. The skill type game of claim 2 including means for releasably mounting said clip on said launching device, the clip having means for delivering projectiles one at a time into launching position on the launching device.

5. In the combination of a plurality of projectiles, target means, at least one launching device for receiving projectiles and propelling the projectiles toward said target means, a storage and receiving compartment for collecting spent projectiles launched by said launching device, means for directing said spent projectiles to said receiving and storage compartment after launching, a clip for said launching device: the improvement comprising said clip constructed to hold a plurality of projectiles, complementary interengaging means on said clip and said receiving storage compartment for delivering projectiles from the compartment to the clip automatically in response to engaging said complementary interengaging means; and aperture means formed in said clip and said storage compartment through which projectiles are delivered from the compartment to the clip, said aperture means including door means normally biased to a closed position closing said aperture means, said door means being movable to an open position automatically on engaging the clip with the compartment.

6. The skill type game of claim 5 wherein said door means includes a door slidably mounted on said compartment for reciprocating movement to open and close the aperture means of the compartment, and said clip includes abutment means for engaging the sliding door to open the door on sliding the clip into engagement against the compartment.

7. The skill type game of claim 6 wherein said door means includes a door slidably mounted on said clip for reciprocating movement to open and close the aperture means of the clip, and said compartment includes abutment means for engaging the sliding door of the clip to open the door on sliding the clip into engagement against the compartment.

8. The skill type game of claim 7 wherein said sliding doors and abutment means on the clip and the compartment are so oriented and aligned to open both doors simultaneously on said sliding of the clip into engagement against the compartment.

9. A skill type game comprising: a plurality of generally spherical ball-like projectiles, a frame work having two opposing launching areas with floor means inclined downwardly and along which said ball-like projectiles may roll to a receiving and storage compartment therefor, target means at each of said opposing launching areas, selectively operable launching devices at each launching area for propelling said projectiles therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area, each of said launching devices being provided with a clip for holding a plurality of said projectiles, said clips and saidcompartment having complementary interengaging means for delivering projecdevices. 

1. In the combination of a plurality of projectiles, target means, at least one launching device for receiving projectiles and propelling the projectiles toward said target means, a receiving and storage compartment for collecting spent projectiles launched by said launching device, means for directing said spent projectiles to said receiving and storage compartment after launching, a clip for said launching device: the improvement comprising said clip constructed to hold a plurality of projectiles and being manually removably mountable in projectile communication either with said receiving and storage compartment or said launching device, whereby spent projectiles are fed into said clip from said receiving and storage compartment when said clip is mounted in association with said compartment and whereby said projectiles in said clip are fed into said launching device when said clip is mounted in association with said launching device.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said clip and said compartment have complementary interengaging means whereby the projectiles are fed into the clip from the compartment automatically in response to engaging said complementary interengaging means.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said clip and said launching device have complementary interengaging means whereby the projectiles are fed into the launching device from the clip automatically in response to engaging said complementary interengaging means.
 4. The skill type game of claim 2 including means for releasably mounting said clip on said launching device, the clip having means for delivering projecTiles one at a time into launching position on the launching device.
 5. In the combination of a plurality of projectiles, target means, at least one launching device for receiving projectiles and propelling the projectiles toward said target means, a storage and receiving compartment for collecting spent projectiles launched by said launching device, means for directing said spent projectiles to said receiving and storage compartment after launching, a clip for said launching device: the improvement comprising said clip constructed to hold a plurality of projectiles, complementary interengaging means on said clip and said receiving storage compartment for delivering projectiles from the compartment to the clip automatically in response to engaging said complementary interengaging means; and aperture means formed in said clip and said storage compartment through which projectiles are delivered from the compartment to the clip, said aperture means including door means normally biased to a closed position closing said aperture means, said door means being movable to an open position automatically on engaging the clip with the compartment.
 6. The skill type game of claim 5 wherein said door means includes a door slidably mounted on said compartment for reciprocating movement to open and close the aperture means of the compartment, and said clip includes abutment means for engaging the sliding door to open the door on sliding the clip into engagement against the compartment.
 7. The skill type game of claim 6 wherein said door means includes a door slidably mounted on said clip for reciprocating movement to open and close the aperture means of the clip, and said compartment includes abutment means for engaging the sliding door of the clip to open the door on sliding the clip into engagement against the compartment.
 8. The skill type game of claim 7 wherein said sliding doors and abutment means on the clip and the compartment are so oriented and aligned to open both doors simultaneously on said sliding of the clip into engagement against the compartment.
 9. A skill type game comprising: a plurality of generally spherical ball-like projectiles, a frame work having two opposing launching areas with floor means inclined downwardly and along which said ball-like projectiles may roll to a receiving and storage compartment therefor, target means at each of said opposing launching areas, selectively operable launching devices at each launching area for propelling said projectiles therefrom through the air toward the target means at the opposite launching area, each of said launching devices being provided with a clip for holding a plurality of said projectiles, said clips and said compartment having complementary interengaging means for delivering projectiles to the clips from said compartment automatically in response to a clip and the compartment being interengaged, and immobilizing means operatively associated with said target means to effectively block the propelling of objects from said launching devices in response to the respective target means in the same launching area being struck by one of said objects.
 10. The skill type game of claim 9 including means for releasably mounting said clips on said launching devices, the clips having means for delivering projectiles one at a time into launching position on the launching devices. 